1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a door latch device for a vehicle and a method of assembling the door latch device for a vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
Some door latch devices for a vehicle are configured by integrating an engaging unit assembly including a body made of synthetic resin that is fixed to a door, a latch that is stored in the body and is capable of engaging with a striker on a vehicle body side, and an engaging mechanism such as a pole that is capable of engaging with the latch, and an operation unit assembly including a casing made of synthetic resin that is fixed to a rear side of the body and an operation mechanism that is mounted into the casing and can switch a locked state and an unlocked state of the door by operating the engaging mechanism (for example, refer to Japanese Patent No. 4765123 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2012-233318). Such door latch devices for a vehicle include a lever that rotates the pole to disengage the latch from the pole based on an opening operation of a handle arranged on the door.
In recent years, automatic assembly has been performed to improve assembling efficiency of the door latch devices, and further improvement in assembling efficiency has been required. In the related art, an outside lever that disengages the latch from the pole based on the opening operation of an outside handle arranged on a vehicle exterior side of a door is rotatably fixed to the casing of the operation unit assembly with a screw. Accordingly, a screwing process is required to mount the outside lever, and the assembling efficiency may be disadvantageously lowered.